Sunday Best – Peruvian Daffodil
Six on Saturday: Fowler
These are a few more flowers that are in bloom now.
1. Lantana montevidensis, trailing lantana in white sounds better than it looks. White is my favorite color, but I fail to be impressed. Lantana excels at other more vibrant colors.
2. Rosa spp., miniature rose is the only miniature rose here. It arrived as a cheap potted mini rose from a supermarket, which had outlived its domestic appeal before rehoming.
3. Silene coronaria, campion is such a delightful weed that we leave much of it where it appears. Most grows where it is not a problem, although this one is in the White Garden.
4. Agapanthus orientalis, lily of the Nile in white is special both because there are not so many of them, and also because only a few can bloom in their formerly shaded situation.
5. Gladiolus X hortulanus, gladiola has been reliably perennial for several years. I would like to know what is so special about their situation that allows them to perform as such.
6. This is the first new painted rock that I have found in quite a while, and the first rock I noticed with a spell check glitch. Is this really a glitch, though, or actually from Fowler?
Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.
Fraser’s Photinia
Old fashioned photinias, which are now rare, are thorny and messy with copious berries. Almost all modern photinia, though, are Fraser’s photinia, Photinia X fraseri. It is a hybrid that is both thornless and fruitless. It is also among the most popular plants for evergreen hedges and screens. Therefore, it is readily available from nurseries and garden centers.
After shearing, Fraser’s photinia develops richly reddish bronze new foliage. Such color eventually fades to dark green. However, the process repeats after each shearing, which may be three times annually. Shearing also enhances foliar density, and refines hedges. Bronze color is best in spring, after late winter shearing. It fades slightly faster in summer.
Without shearing, Fraser’s photinia can become a small tree as tall as fifteen feet. Foliar color is less vivid, though, and only develops once for spring. Also, unshorn trees bloom, often profusely, with big trusses of tiny white flowers. Some find the floral fragrance to be objectionable. Compact or variegated cultivars of photinia may sometimes be available.
Soil Is More Than Dirt
Weeds are plants that grow wildly where they are undesirable. Therefore, all weeds are plants, but not all plants are weeds. Similarly, dirt is soil or similar substances where it is undesirable. Therefore, some dirt is soil, but soil is not necessarily dirt. The assumption that soil is dirt is disrespectful to the foundation of the garden. Roots know the difference.
Roots are experts in regard to soil because they inhabit it. They must disperse through it to procure nutrients and water, and to conduct respiration. They also provide stability for their associated stems and foliage above. Various soils are naturally diverse. Vegetation is more diverse to exploit them. Not many soils can not sustain some type of vegetation.
Soil, most simply, is the loose aggregates on the surfaces of most land. Loose is relative, since some soils are dense and quite hard. The inorganic aggregates range in size from microscopic clay particles to coarse sand. Most soils include small stones. Some include significant stones. Almost all soils contain organic material. Exposed bedrock lacks soil.
The texture of a soil is its ratio of the three basic components, sand, silt and clay. Sandy soils drain efficiently, but do not retain moisture as well as dense clay soils do. Clay soils retain more moisture, but do not drain as efficiently. Like climates, soils limit what grows well in a garden. Although local soils are of good quality, some benefit from amendment.
Soil amendments, such as compost, may improve both drainage and moisture retention. They also improve aeration and, as they decompose, they generate additional nutrients. Such organic amendments are helpful with the installation of new plants. They promote healthy dispersion of roots. They are also particularly useful for annuals and vegetables.
Fertilizers promote growth by providing more of the nutrients that the soil provides. Each nutrient promotes different types of growth. For example, phosphorus promotes floral and fruit growth. Nitrogen promotes vegetative growth. The formulation of synthetic fertilizers is very precise for specific results. Organic fertilizers can be less potent, but are effective.
Sunday Best – Canna
Six on Saturday: Just A Few Flowers
It is difficult to select only six flowers from the many blooming at this time of year.
1. Morea bicolor, yellow African iris is not very yellow. It is an impressively resilient and reliable perennial, though, and is quite easy to propagate. It really deserves more credit.
2. Morea iridioides, African iris is at least as resilient, reliable and easy to propagate, so is therefore very common. Whenever we have use for more, we simply split big colonies.
3. Canna X generalis ‘Mango’ canna performs very well and proliferates very efficiently. It begins its bloom before any other canna here. I just am not so keen on its floral color.
4. Echinops ritro, globe thistle looks like an Allium in this closeup picture. You might be able to guess where it is from. It is the first that I have grown since the summer of 1986.
5. Crinum bulbispermum, Orange River lily typically does not bloom quite like this. The florets should have darker pink or red centers. Could this be another species of Crinum?
6. Hemerocallis fulva ‘Flore Pleno’ daylily has been growing like a weed. We relocated a few only a few years ago, and must already relocate some of their now crowded progeny.
Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.
Japanese Black Pine
Most pines grow too large for compact urban home gardens. Japanese black pine, Pinus thunbergii, is an exception. Although it can grow bigger in the wild, it does not get much taller than twenty feet here. It takes many years to grow as broad, typically with irregular and sculptural form. Because of its form, it is quite conducive to pruning for confinement.
The evergreen foliage of Japanese black pine is rich deep green. Its paired needles are about four and a half inches long, and somewhat stiff. Its stout cones are only about two or three inches long. They are as green as their foliage while developing, but eventually become brown. Even young trees have handsomely flaky bark, which darkens with rain.
Japanese black pine is notably undemanding. It supposedly prefers slightly sandy soils that drain efficiently. However, it performs well within local soils. Disease and pathogens are quite rare here, although boring beetles sometimes appear. Japanese black pine can thrive in large pots if pruned to be proportionate. It is popular for both bonsai and niwaki, and can perform for centuries.
Arborists Are Horticulturists Of Trees
Trees are the most substantial living components of their landscapes. Many grow too big for garden enthusiasts or professional gardeners to maintain them. Such trees will likely eventually require the services of arborists. Arborists are horticulturists who specialize in the horticulture of trees, or arboriculture. Most of the best are certified as such by the ISA.
The ISA is the International Society of Arboriculture. Certification by the ISA first requires arborists to pass an arboricultural proficiency exam. Maintenance of certification requires continuing participation with ISA programs. This includes classes, workshops, seminars and qualified work experience. Arborists must also maintain ISA professional standards.
More information about the ISA is available online at isa-arbor.com. This site includes a link for more consumer information at treesaregood.org. An interactive directory identifies local certified arborists and their tree services. Various articles explain the importance of securing services from qualified arborists. Other resources help select appropriate trees.
ISA certified arborists do more than maintain trees. If necessary, they also remove trees. Many municipalities require permits for removal of significant trees. A permit application requires recommendation for removal from a certified arborist. To prescribe removal, the arborist must compose an arborist report to justify it. Such processes requires inspection.
ISA certified arborists do not invariably perform all the procedures that they recommend. Most work with and supervise a few crews who execute their recommended procedures. Arboriculture is very physically demanding work. Some who do it while younger prefer to become consulting arborists when a bit older. Their work experience is a valuable asset.
The need for arboriculture becomes more apparent at particular times of the year. Winter storms make it more obvious. Also, several trees prefer pruning during winter dormancy. However, various arboricultural procedures are seasonable at various times of the year. Most of such procedures can be performed whenever convenient, at any time of the year.
Sunday Best – Peruvian Lily
Six on Saturday: Foliar Closeups
All six here this week are foliar, without flowers. I suppose that floral subjects would be more appropriate for June; so, perhaps next week.
1. Ilex aquifolium, English holly certainly looks vicious up close. It grows wild from seed in the landscapes. I canned several as if we might find a use for them, which is unlikely.
2. Abies grandis, grand fir was collected from the wild near Smith River. A few are now canned here, although we have no idea what to do with them. They are such grand trees.
3. Picea sitchensis, Sitka spruce came with the grand fir from near Smith River. It is also difficult or impossible to accommodate in the landscapes here. Collection is a bad habit.
4. Heliconia psittacorum, parakeet flower is considerably more useful than the previous three. For now, though, it remains canned on a silly shelf outside my bedroom window.
5. Saccharum officinarum ‘Pele’s Smoke’ sugarcane came with the parakeet flower from Brent’s garden in Los Angeles. It is almost too easy to propagate, so we have quite a few.
6. Saccharum officinarum ‘Purple Ribbon’ sugarcane is an old heirloom cultivar. It was acquired after ‘Pele’s Smoke’, but already has as much potential to propagate too easily.
Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.
